- Human Rights
- August 3, 2011
- 3 minutes read
Sudan: ANHRI condemns the continuity of the trial of the activists and media professionals in Radio Dabanga
ANHRI condemned today the continuity of the trial of the Sudanese activists and media professionals who work in Radio Dabanga under the case #1600 for the year 2010. The plaintiff of the lawsuit is a member of State Security, accusing them of broadcasting information that affects the reputation of the state, as well as establishing a non-licensed radio station.
Abdelrahman Adam, Abdelrahman Al-Gasim, Jafaar Al-Amin Al-Sabky, Zacharia Yagoub, Kawther Abdel Haq, Khalid Ishac, and Adam Al-Nur are to appear in Criminal Court tomorrow, Wednesday AUG. 3rd 2011 for the fourth time for broadcasting reports and news on the humanitarian situation in Darfour. Authorities considered these information false and damaging the reputation of the state. They are currently being tried in accordance to articles #24, #25, #26, #53, #50 of Sudanese Criminal Code for the year 1991, as well as articles #18, #42, #44 of Communications Code for the year 2001. Penalties could be as severe as execution.
It is noteworthy that Dabanga station is broadcasted from Holland. The Sudanese government tried several times to push the Dutch government to stop broadcasting the station and to restrict the activists and media professionals who work in it in order to obscure the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Darfour. It also stormed the headquarters of the station and smashed its contents in a precedented incident.
“Journalistic and media freedoms in Sudan continue to deteriorate. Authorities always practices repression and violence as well as confiscation with journalism and media. Just last month the two journalists Fatima Ghazali and Amal Habbani were detained under a publishing lawsuit. More than six newspapers were closed in the pretext that some of their owners are from the South of Sudan, hence; their right to issue newspapers and publications in the North has fallen for being foreigners.” Said ANHRI.
ANHRI added “ The status of the humanitarian situation in Sudan is very bad, especially in terms of journalistic and media freedoms. Based on that; ANHRI demands the international community and organizations concerned with defending freedom of opinion and expression to pressure the Sudanese authorities to ensure these freedoms, and to stop the trial of Radio Dabanga’s activists and media professionals”
